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1 Ajaw 8 Sek (June 29, 2015): Informe del Tz’ib’

First, our appreciation to the organization Maya Antiguo para los Mayas (MAM) for promoting and supporting with small grants the fulfillment of these activities of Ojer Tz’ib’ [ancient writing]. With the grain of maize that has been planted now, we are sure to harvest maize of various colors from the teaching of Ojer Tz’ib’. Members of MAM, thank you very much for this contribution to the Tojolab’ales, which was very supportive and very important as it was of great interest to feel and experience a sense of our ancestors.

That is why I, K’anal Ajpub’ (Bertha María Santíz Pérez), on behalf of the people of El Rosario Bahuitz extend our most sincere thanks to all those who struggle every day to share new knowledge (unfortunately many do not know their historical past) and in this way to reflect and raise awareness and regain ancestral history to all those interested, as an example to these children who are the future of tomorrow.

To orient our readers, here is a map of the Tojolabal region, red, on the Guatemala/Chiapas border.

Community of El Rosario Bahuitz (place of the hills).

The event took place on February 28, 2105, in the community of El Rosario Bahuitz (place of the hills), in the municipality of Las Margaritas, Chiapas, Mexico, with the students of the Escuela Telesecundario Emilio Rabasa Estebanell, where the commissary, in coordination with the committee padres de familia de la comunidad, very kindly gave thanks for bringing a new dynamic to the development of their children, for reclaiming their identity as Maya speakers by means of Ojer Tz’ib and language use in the community.

This was in coordination with our great friend and brother Ajpub’ Pablo García, who kindly did all that was necessary to come to be here among the Tojolab’ales and share his knowledge, to promote and raise awareness on these issues, which for us as Maya-speakers, knowing our own identity is so important. For this reason we appreciate very much his support, and for the example that sharing and helping our Maya brothers and sisters has no borders. Thank you, Ajpub’.

To achieve the objective of the workshop was primarily the use of the workbook “Introductory Course for the Reading and Ancient Writing of Ojer Tz’ib,” with Tojolab’al Maya youth, using both Spanish and their mother tongue to learn to write their names, names of certain objects and animals, names of their towns, and the themes of origins and Mesoamerican territories and where Maya cities are found today. In the same way, the dynamics of today’s Maya languages and linguistic branches was presented as well as the principal themes of the syllabary, different shapes of the writing, logograms that represent whole words, the formation of words, and signs that can be confused, etc. Following is a presentation of the activities.

The workshop began with a brief general introduction presenting the workbook “Aj Tz’ib.”

Maya Tojolab’ales becoming familiar with the syllabary and comparing it to the alphabet of their own maternal language.

Presentation of the basics of epigraphy.

Using the syllabary.

Antonio excitedly looking at the syllabary before beginning to write his name.

Everyone writing names with the help of the syllabary, with the different forms of writing.

K’anal Ajpub’ helping with the writing and the formation of words.

K’anal Ajpub’ helping with the writing and the formation of words.

A young boy reads his name, written according to the syllabary, and explains it in front of the group.

Other exercises. These are so that the student can acquire his skills in drawing glyphs. Thanks to our colleague Rony for sharing his exercises with us, which was a great help in the implementation of the workshop. It was very useful and well-received on the part of the Tojolab’al youth.

Exercises.

Identification of words already written.

Writing the name of the town.

Ajpub’ García reviewing the student’s work.

K’anal Ajpub’ reviewing students’ work.

Presenting completed exercises.

Presenting completed exercises.

Presenting completed exercises.

Presenting completed exercises.

Beginning to hand out lunches.

In the chill of mid-day.

Group picture of the participants, thanks to our photographer Fernando Martínez.